After earning defensive line MVP honors at the Nike Football Training Camp in Durham, Jamal Marcus was proud of what he accomplished in his hometown - successfully defending the MVP title that he also took home last year. This fall, he will vying for another title defense when he leads his teammates in a quest for a second-straight state title at Durham (N.C.) Hillside.

"It was an honor [to be named MVP at Nike Camp] because I came here last year and won the defensive line MVP," he said. "It's a real big honor, I wanted to do it again."

The 6-foot-2, 219-pounder has been adding offers over the spring as he has preformed well at camps and combines and teams get the chance to drop by his school to eyeball the standout defender.

"I'm just trying to narrow down the list, try to see what school best fits me," Marcus said. "Recruiting is going well. Right now, I'm around 18 offers."

Marcus has earned tenders from a host of programs, including Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, South Carolina and USC. The rising-senior admits he has not started to trim his list yet, but he does think three schools stand out.

"I only have a basic list right now, most of them are all pretty even; but Auburn is sticking out, and so are Clemson and UNC," he said.

While the Pack hasn't cracked that top listing, the Red and White still have a chance. Marcus came to the Pack's annual spring game in April and enjoyed the chance to see the Raleigh campus.

"It was pretty good, I got to see a few players I used to play against," he said. "I think it's a real excellent school."

What is the standout looking for in a future home?

"I'm looking at academics, which school fits me best academically, and the coaching staff," Marcus said. "I want to see if the school is trying to build up the team and everything."

The versatile defender said he wasn't sure exactly what position the Pack liked him at, but said he thinks they want him at defensive end. Several other programs are penciling Marcus in at outside linebacker, where he could fully utilize his 4.6-second in the 40-yard dash.

The big man is keeping his goals simple for now as he tries to improve on a junior season in which he recorded 52 tackles and 15 sacks.

"I'm trying to gain a couple more pounds," he said. "I'm trying to help my teammates get better and just get [myself] better on the football field."